Cash from housing developments is funding the £672,000 revamp of Longvernal Primary School, Midsomer Norton. Existing classrooms will be extended, and there will be new facilities for pupils and staff to meet increased demand and current Government area guidelines.

The full six-figure sum is coming from section 106 agreements – money paid to B&NES Council to mitigate the impact of developments in the area – that saw 345 homes built.

The section 106 funding came from projects to build eleven homes in Towerhurst in Westfield, 165 homes in Fosseway South, Midsomer Norton, and the mixed-use redevelopment of the Alcan factory in Midsomer Norton with 169 homes. A B&NES Council spokesperson said this money is usually combined with funding from the authority’s own budget – but in this case all the funding came from developers.

The new project involves using an existing courtyard to create pupil and staff toilets, a hygiene room, a special education needs and medical room, as well as a larger staff room. This is the second phase of the school’s revamp, after a nursery was converted into a reception class to take a bulge class in September 2017.